Poll Position: Americans weigh in on the job President Trump and Elon Musk are doing
President Donald Trump took questions from reporters on Thursday, touting that “a lot of great things are happening” in the country. However, nearly eight weeks into his second term in the White House, Americans seem divided on the job he’s doing steering the nation.
According to a new Quinnipiac University national poll conducted from March 6-10, Trump’s approval rating stood at 42%-53% among registered voters nationwide. This is a decrease from 46% approval and 43% disapproval in the survey conducted in late January, shortly after his second inauguration.
Despite this, Trump remains above water in three other recent surveys, showcasing his “Highest Approval Ratings Since Inauguration” on social media. His overall approval ratings are slightly above water, but have seen a slight decline since late January when they were in the low 50s.
A noticeable uptick of discontent can be seen over President Trump’s handling of a range of issues, from Ukraine to the economy to the federal workforce. Trump’s handling of trade with China was the only issue where most respondents gave him a positive rating.
On the economy, the top issue for many Americans, Trump’s approval rating stood at 41%-54%. This poses a challenge for the president, as the economy was a key issue that helped him win the presidential election last November.
One of the major initiatives of Trump’s second term is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aimed at overhauling and downsizing the federal government. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, was appointed to lead the organization.
DOGE has made significant cuts to federal agencies, resulting in a downsizing of the federal workforce and triggering lawsuits in response. However, 60% of voters disapprove of the way Musk and DOGE are handling federal workers, with 54% believing they are hurting the country.
There is a large partisan divide in the polls, with Democrats overwhelmingly disapproving of Trump and DOGE’s actions, while Republicans approve. Independent voters fall somewhere in the middle.
Vice President JD Vance also faced scrutiny in the polls, with a 41% approval and 49% disapproval rating. Overall, the survey questioned 1,198 registered voters nationwide, with a sampling error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.
Despite some positive ratings, Trump faces challenges in maintaining public approval as he navigates his second term in office. The polls reflect a divided America, with differing opinions on his administration’s handling of key issues and initiatives.
